I Think I Love You
by Anie6142
Summary: After an arduous battle against some monsters from which Geralt had to save his behind, Jaskier gets a song stuck inside his heart that he doesn't sing to anyone but himself. But every new encounter with the Witcher, makes it so much harder to do and keep it to himself. Geralt x Jaskier. Part 2: Path That Leads To You. Part 3: Bad Blood.


This story wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it, and I have had this song stuck in my head all week. Quite an inspiration if I say so myself, I haven't written in years and the itch was back.

I don't own The Witcher (2019), books, videogames, or characters.

Enjoy.

* * *

**I Think I Love You**

Jaskier was holding onto a nearby tree, trying to catch his breath after the near-death encounter he just experienced. One would think that traveling with the Witcher and experiencing so many of these it would become easy to deal with. What a load of horseshit.

"Now tell me, what gave you the _brilliant_ idea to bathe in the lake when you knew there were Drowners in the area?!" yelled Geralt, wet in now murky water covered in blood and guts from the three Drowners that almost took Jaskier down to the bottom of said lake.

"Now! The last Drowners we encountered were in a swamp! How was I supposed to know they would go onto a crystalline lake! And look, thank you for _literally_ saving my behind but you can't surely blame me for getting attacked!" Jaskier yelled back at Geralt while trying to put on his clothes back as fast as possible. Being exposed like this in front of Geralt made something knot inside his stomach and he really didn't want to think about it. Or its implications.

He was here for stories and inspiration.

Nothing else.

"I still don't understand how someone like you can get in so much trouble, so easily, and still be alive!" Geralt grumbled, shaking off as many guts from his hair and armor as possible. He would need a hot bath to get rid of it all.

"Gross."

"Shut up."

"How about now you get into the water and rinse as much of that gore as possible? No more Drowners will come out I'm sure." Jaskier was buttoning the last buttons from his doublet and starting to look for his lute. Didn't he put it next to his clothes?

"Hmm." grunted Geralt, which told Jaskier that he was done talking for the time being, or more like the rest of the day. Before Jaskier went off to keep looking around for his lute, Geralt advanced and pushed said lute into Jaskier's chest before leaving towards the lake to rinse.

"Erm, why did you have my lute? Not that I don't appreciate having it back and all that since this is my life and soul." Jaskier eyed Geralt from his peripheral vision, not wanting to watch as Geralt undressed. It made things weird in his gut.

"Fucking Drowners almost smashed it to pieces so I grabbed it before they did. As to why, you said so yourself. Besides, you were going to be insufferable, more than usually, without it." Geralt dipped into the lake his back towards Jaskier and started to scrub off. He couldn't wait for a proper bath.

"I, well, thank you. I'm gonna go check on Roach and start the fire back at camp."

"Hmm."

That night, Jaskier could barely sleep. He tossed and turned on his roll and knew that if he was too noisy the Witcher would be beyond unpleased at him for not letting him get the little sleep he was gonna get. He somehow managed to get a couple hours, but right in his brain, a melody was forming and it was settling in his heart. When morning came, his makeshift pillow was over his head and only began to arouse from his sleep when a boot kicked his feet.

"Get up Bard. We still have a long way to go if we want to reach the next town by nighttime." Geralt was already half-way done packing and was readying Roach for the journey ahead.

Jaskier was looking at Geralt's back, the sun making a halo around his silvery white hair and for once, he found himself speechless with no retort in mind. The music began playing loudly and now words were forming to accompany it. Geralt seemed too busy to notice the silence from the Bard, probably leaving it to tiredness and still not being completely awake. The only thing that left Jaskier's mouth as the realization hit him hard was one word.

"Fuck."

_I was sleeping and right in the middle of a good dream_

_Like all at once I wake up from something that keeps knocking at my brain_

_Before I go insane I hold my pillow to my head_

_And spring up in my bed screaming out the words I dread_

_I think I love you_

_(I think I love you)_

"Good thing you kept those parts from the Drowners, this town had a posting and you just happened to get them! Now say, aren't you glad I got attacked?" Jaskier looking at Geralt with one of his charming smiles that often made maids swoon. But the Glare he got practically said _'I would be glad if you stopped getting into trouble'_, but alas, the only thing Geralt replied was with a grunt.

"Oh come on! Now, how about I go to the tavern and sing some songs from our glorious travels and heroics?"

"More like lies spouting from you silver-tongue."

"This tongue has its perks." at that comment Jaskier was sure he started to blush, _why had he said that_?

"Hmm."

"Well, n-nevertheless! You can drink as much ale as you want and a hot meal! Let's go dear Witcher!" Jaskier practically ran towards the tavern. Now, if only the song would stop playing in his head for a few hours he could concentrate in playing for the locals and getting some more coin.

It was relentless.

_This morning I woke up with this feeling_

_I didn't know how to deal with and so I just decided to myself_

_I'd hide it to myself and never talk about it_

_And did not go and shout it when you walked into the room_

_I think I love you _

_(I think I love you)_

"Now! Wasn't that a great performance from my part? They clapped, stomped their feet, and asked for more songs and left such generous donations! I think the fair maiden at the bar fell for me. Oh such is the heart of a young maiden, loving gentlemen of sweet words like I." Jaskier was rolling his sleeves, prepping to help Geralt wash his hair and the undoubtedly massage he would require to ease the tension from the journey here. Geralt was already at the tub, basking in the hot water, ignoring what Jaskier was saying and giving his usual grunts as replies. The way he looked was almost content and Jaskier had to push the darn music in his heart.

Who would've thought he would hate music?

Not him for sure.

But that song was sure getting on his nerves.

"Distracted." Replied Geralt. Jaskier turned from arranging the oils and soap he was going to use and saw that Geralt had his eyes closed. But the little, almost invisible, crease on his forehead told Jaskier that Geralt had been thinking about something he didn't quite get.

"Distracted? Whom? _Me_? Please Geralt, had that been true, my pockets wouldn't be filled with coin." Jaskier walked towards Geralt with soap and a small vial of oil for his hair, hoping he didn't catch the slight tremor of his voice.

"You looked…pensive. Like something on your mind." Geralt still had his eyes closed and it was a good thing, because he might have seen the way Jaskier had tensed. Hopefully his heart wasn't so out of it that Geralt would notice his predicament.

"Well, you know how it is with us creative types, always thinking about new songs to sing and music to play, no rest for the poetic soul." Jaskier said, it wasn't untrue after all, but it's not like he could tell Geralt the kind of song it was, much less its muse. He only hoped he wouldn't ask about it.

"Hmm."

"Exactly, now please move forward so I can pour some water on your hair."

Geralt did so and Jaskier began making a lather on his hair. Working and massaging the scalp, getting all the grime and muck out of his hair and working through knots and tangles in the hair of the Witcher, falling into a comfortable silence. He worked some oil on his hair after the last rinse, to keep the hair from getting too damaged, which was more of a wish due to the nature of the work the Witcher did, but it at least would keep the hair manageable for a while. Jaskier stood up and began prepping the bed a bit, during the wash he could have sworn to see a content smile on the Witcher's face, tugging at the strings in his heart, the song back baring its teeth.

_I think I love you so what am I so afraid of_

_I'm afraid that I'm not sure of a love there is no cure for_

After the massage, _which definitely did not do things to Jaskier's gut and heart no siree_, he undressed and got into his bed, blowing out the candles, and trying to get comfortable. Just when he was about to close his eyes, in the dark he heard a gruff voice.

"Thanks."

Wide eyed he turned to look at the Witcher, but it seemed he was already fast asleep. Another verse plagued his mind.

He was not going to sleep.

Fuck.

_I think I love you isn't that what life is made of_

_Though it worries me to say that I never felt this way_

The times where he and Geralt were apart were probably the easiest to deal with his feelings about the Witcher. Mainly because whenever he was close to him all rational thought almost disappeared. At first, he was hoping that it was as fleeting as his many encounters throughout the land. He was a lover of all beauty after all, it made sense he would fall for the Witcher. What didn't make sense, was how much this love was impacting him.

He still appreciated the beauty of the fair maidens and many gentlemen, many required him to show them his prowess in their chambers whenever he sang whether be at taverns, balls, and royal celebrations. The thing now, was that he didn't feel the need to respond to their wishes.

_I don't know what I'm up against_

_I don't know what it's all about_

_I got so much to think about_

Whenever he was alone at his room in an inn, palace, castle, or even on tracks, he would quietly play in his lute the melody stuck in his heart and the lyrics plaguing his mind. He only got to get some peace when he sang and played the tune. Although the lyrics could be generic on every other occasion, he feared that if Geralt heard him sing those he would have his heart on display for him to see and connect the dots as to what, more like _whom_, the song was about.

_Hey, I think I love you so what am I so afraid of_

_I'm afraid that I'm not sure of a love there is no cure for_

Years passed between them, from the Curse of Duny being broken at the Cintra Palace and the new Child Surprise Geralt was bound to get, _whether he liked it or not_, to the Djinn attacking his voice due to a misplaced wish. It was as if Destiny, no matter what Geralt said about the matter, was keen in keeping the paths of Geralt and Jaskier crossing, whether it be weeks, months, or even years.

But so was Yennefer's.

Jealousy was never good for his temper.

_I think I love you isn't that what life is made of_

_Though it worries me to say I never felt this way_

Jaskier almost spilled his feelings towards Geralt.

During the quest for the dragon egg, things were taking a turn.

Jaskier wasn't sure what the feeling of dread was leading to.

All he knew was that he wanted to be with him, but his fear of ruining the friendship they had was more terrorizing than rejection itself.

He only hoped things would go right.

The feeling of dread didn't settle once.

_Believe me you really don't have to worry_

_I only wanna make you happy and if you say "hey go away" I will_

_But I think better still I'd better stay around and love you_

_Do you think I have a case let me ask you to your face_

_Do you think you love me?_

Yennefer left.

He had joy dancing in his heart.

The song came back to accompany his inner feelings.

_I think I love you_

Him and Geralt again.

_I think I love you_

_(I think I love you)_

He's talking to him, about how things are going to be okay.

_I think I love you_

_(I think I love you)_

He doesn't see the anger and hurt on those amber eyes.

_I think I love you_

_(I think I love you)_

He's going to say it.

_I think I lov-_

"Damn it, Jaskier! Why is it whenever I find myself in a pile of shit these days, it's you shoveling it?" said Geralt with anger and hurt in his voice. It stalled Jaskier completely. The melody even took pause.

"Well, that's not fair." Jaskier's shoulders drooped. Was his voice weak? _Why did it hurt?_

"The Child Surprise, the Djinn, all of it! If life could give me one blessing, it would be to take you off my hands." Geralt said with venom in his voice. Words had power and Geralt was using that power to hurt Jaskier in a way that Geralt himself was unaware of.

If Jaskier had any fight left in him it was gone in that moment. He couldn't look at Geralt anymore or he was sure he was going to break down in tears in that very moment.

Might as well give the Witcher his blessing.

"Right, uh... Right, then. I'll... I'll go get the rest of the story from the others."

Jaskier walked past Geralt, not looking back.

"See you around, Geralt."

He trekked down the mountain, heavy steps taking him down the route they took. The melody was quiet, practically gone, only one sad note remained.

_I think I love you_

* * *

Sorry not sorry (believe me it hurt me too).

Might write something cheery later.

Thank you for reading.

Comments are much appreciated.

-Anie


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